A recent study suggests that an herbal remedy containing ginseng and panax notoginseng could help to improve memory in people who develop mild-to-moderate dementia after having a stroke. Dr Jinzhou Tian and colleagues at the University of Beijing in China tested study participants’ ability to recall words and stories, verbal recognition, and visual recognition at the start and end of the study. 25 patients were given the ginseng-containing herbal extract, while the other 25 took Duxil, a drug that is thought to improve oxygen delivery to the brain. Results showed that participants taking the herbal extract demonstrated a bigger improvement in overall memory than those taking Duxil. However, Robert J Adams, chairman of the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association, stressed that the results are preliminary and “at this time, a recommendation to use this herb for memory enhancement would be premature.”
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 17th February 2003
